With all the discouraging news coming out of Detroit these days, thanks to millions of recalls, here’s a story that will bring a smile to a Chevy enthusiast’s face.

First, though, we have to go back to 1981. That when George Talley, in his late 30s, reported that his 1979 Corvette had been stolen just three miles from General Motors’ world headquarters in Detroit.

Over the years, he had given up hope of ever seeing the car again when out of the blue on June 13, he got a call from AAA telling him his Corvette was indeed alive and well in Hattiesburg, Miss.

Today, Talley, now 71, was finally reunited with his Corvette. Though he’s owned three more Corvettes, he says the ’79 was always his favorite.

“It was a lucky day to hear that my car had been found,” Talley said. “They told me it was running, had 47,000 miles on it and was ready for me to pick up!”

Talley wasn’t sure how he would get the Corvette back home, however, but Mark Reuss, executive vice president for GM Product Development, stepped in with unexpected good news, offering to have GM ship the car to Detroit for Talley.

“George’s story brought a smile to my face,” Reuss said. “As a longtime Corvette owner myself, I know the passion the car inspires. I also knew that car belonged home in Detroit, with its rightful owner, and we could make that happen.”

Talley says he had been a Corvette enthusiast since seeing a neighbor’s first-generation ‘Vette back in the 1950s.

Check out the smiles on Talley’s face and his big display of enthusiasm as he uncovers his long-missing Corvette in this series of photos, with well-wishers in the background.

Thanks to Autoblog.com, here’s video of George Talley and the reveal of his 1979 Corvette:

Mitch Talley has loved Corvettes since he was just 8 years old. He's owned 10 Corvettes since 1983, including examples from the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth generations. His goal is to own first, second, and seventh generation cars someday. He and his son, Chris, also a Corvette enthusiast, served as Captains of the 2014 Georgia Corvette Caravan.